Shoulder strap



Nov. 29, 1927.

J. M. VAN HEUSEN snouumn STRAP Filed Aug. 2. 1924 anomtoz v of this nature, nevertheless 7 along}; the line atented Nov. l.

srronnnnn earner.

Application filed August 2, 1924;. Serial No. 729,681.

The present invention relates to improvements in shoulder straps and more particularly to shoulder s raps commonly used in ladies undergarments.

It has long been a serious objection to lingerie shoulder straps that they constantly slip from the shoulder. Furthermore, when worn a short time they wrinkle and roll up, thus taking on a stringy and untidy appearance. i a

It is one of the main objects ofmy invention to provide a shoulder strap which, while possessing the soft and delicate appearance and feel requisite to feminine attire is of such construction thatit will not wrinkle or become stringy. Another object of my invention is to provide a shoulder strap which will not slip from the shoulder under ordinary con ditions of wear. Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be further described in connection with the acconipanying drawings illustrative of certain embodiments thereof in which,

Fig. 1 shows the shoulder straps of my invention in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken 22 of Figr. I, showing confabric of the shoulder strap.

ventionally the a complete detached shoulder Fig. 3 shows strap, and

Fig". 4t shows a complete detached shoulder strap of modified construction.

lThe fabric of which the shoulder straps 1 of my invent-ion are made is a pile fabric or fabric having similar properties. The particular structure and weave of the fabric may vary widely. So also any suitable material may be used in making the straps such. for example, as silk, linen, cotton, etc. prefer to use sill: throughout. as itgives a very soft, fine pile surface and a smooth attractive back, especially suitable for use in ladies under-things of high quality A mixture of cotton and sill: may be used to reduce the cost of the shoulder straps and still retain in large measure appearance.

In the preferred embodiment of my inven tion the pile fabric of which the shoulder straps are made is so woven or. after weaving is so treated as to have all the pile threads 2 inclined or slanted in substantially the same direction as shown in Fig. 2. The

the attractive direction in which the pile threads are inclined will be such that when the strap or ribbon is placed over the shoulder the pile threads will be pointing substantially in the direction of the normal slip of the shoulder straps.

While, as I have said, the shoulder straps of my invention may be produced in a variety of ways, 1 shall for purposes of illustration merely and not with the intention of limiting. my invention in any respect, describe one way in which I produce these shoulder straps.

I weave a narrow ribbon of silk pile fabric by what is known to as a four pick pile weave. This fabric has the pile'threads extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the fabric. 1 then moisten the pile fabric slightly with water and allow steam to play on the said pile surface. I then brush the pile face in the direction in which I desire to have the pile threads slant at the sametime steaming the fabric on the back face thereof. The fabric is then dried with the back face against a drying can. Thus treated, the fabric is provided with a pile surface of which all the pile threads are inclined. in the same direction and at substantially the same angle to the plane of the fabric. v

The ribbon when woven is in one continuous piece and it may be cut into desired lengths either before or after the steaming and brushing treatment above described. The cut ends of the straps may be suitably bound to present a neat appearance and prevent fraying.

The shoulder straps when worn are placed with the pile surface undermost, that is, in contact with the skin of the wearer or with an intermediate layer of clothing if there be one. At the point where the strap passes over the shoulder the pilethreads are irected downwardly and outwardly towards the tip of the shoulder. This is illustrated diagrammatically. at 2 in Fig. 2, which is a sectional view of the shoulder strap ofFig. l. It will be apparent from this that any tendency of the shoulder straps to slip down and oif the shoulder will be resisted by the many pile thread ends which are braced, as it were, against travel in the direction of slip. And as the strain on the strap becomes greater. increasing; the tendency to slip, the restraining action of the pile surface bethose skilled in the art comes proportionately greater. The firmer the pressure of the strap against the shoulder, the tighter becomes the hold of the pile threads. V

I have found that with the movement of the arms and shoulders of the wearer, the shoulder straps of in Y invention tend to work upward towards the wearers neck. This action is not sufficiently positive to cause inconvenience or discomfort but is a further protection against displacement of the straps.

The fabric of my shoulder strap while sufficiezitly soft and pliable to be of the utmost comfort and satisfaction to the wearer, is possessed of a greater degree of body and firmness than the ordinary shoulder straps now used. This characteristic of my shoul- (lei' strap is an essential part of my invention and is of great importance since it tends to prevent the strap from taking on, after a short period of wear, the wrinkly, stringy appearance which is an attribute, so far am aware, of all shoulder straps now in use. My shoulder strap lies fiat and smooth against the wearer and presents the maximum of neatness and dressiness in appearance.

hfy shoulder straps may be permanently secured to articles of attire at the time of their manufacture or they may be made and sold separately to be secured to the garment by the purchaser. F lg. 3 shows a detached shoulder strap complete. As shown in the figure, the strap may, if desired, be provided with suitable lingerie clasps or pins 3 for secureinent to the garment.

As the action 'of the pile threads in resisting' slippage of the shoulder strap is most effective at the top of the shoulder where the strap passes therover, and as at this point most of the wrinkling of these straps commences, it may be found desirable in some instances to utilize ordinary silk or cotton shoulder straps and provide the same at the desired point with aninsert of the pile fabric herein described, The insert will be so placed as to fall at the top of the shoulder and thus the advantages of my invention are, to a certain degree at least. enjoyed without using the fabric throughout. Fig.4 shows a shoulder strap 4 of this sort, the shaded portion 5 representing the pilefabric insert.

My shoulder straps may, of course, be made in any desired color or shade according to the taste of the wearer. The insert, if

used it may,

one be used, shall preferably be of the same color as the other material of the strap.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to a shoulder strap having the pile fabric innermost, that is, next to the skin of the wearer or some intermediate layer of clothing. If desired, the pile surface may be on the outer side of the strap, and in this case the strap will be kept in place by the action of the pile threads against the next outer layer of clothing.

lVhen a wry light weight pile fabric is in some instances, become desirable to supplement the inherent body and firmness of the fabric with some additional means. For example, the fabric may be nupregnated or coated with a suitable chemical to give added stillness and to render it less likely to wrinkle or crush.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides a shoulder strap which under normal conditions or wear will not become wrinkled or stingy in appearance and which inherently possesses means for resisting the troublesome tendency of such straps to slip down and off the shoulder.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portion? thereof, but recognize that YflliOUS modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A. shoulder strap containing fabric which under normal conditions of wear will not readily wrinkle or become stringy. said fabric having contact filaments adapted to engage the skin or clothing of the wearer. said filaments being inclined so that when the shoulder strap in position on the wearer they point obliquely outward toward the tip of the shoulder and downward toward the body.

2. A shoulder strap containing t'abric ha ving on at least one surface thereof contact filaments adapted to engage the skin or clothing of the wearer, said filaments being inclined so that when the shoulder strap is in position on the wearer they point obliquely outward toward the tip of the shoulder and downward toward the body.

J OHN M. m HE USEN. 

